Dia de las Gracias!

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday! Lots of family, food, and fun!

My parents let me sleep in Thursday morning which was awesome. I had a "C"themed breakfast of coffee, a clementine and a chocolate chip cookie :) Before we really started anything, my mom and I took Zeus on a nice long walk in the cold.

I started "Grandma Redmon's Cranberry Sauce" right away. This is the second Thanksgiving without her. After grandaddy died, I was the only one she made the cranberries for, so I knew I wanted to be the one to make it this year.

I started by rinsing the fresh cranberries and picking off the stems.

In a pot, I brought one cup of sugar, 1/2 cup OJ and 1/2 cup water to a boil. Once it came to a boil, I added the fresh cranberries. They instantly started to pop!

I stirred them for a few minutes then took them off the heat to let them cool and get jelly-like.

They turned out so beautifully...and they were super tasty!


Then it was time to peel and cut the carrots for roasting. They were tall, skinny and gorgeous, so I told my mom they were "model carrots."


Tofurkey prep time!

Because I had fresh sage on hand, I decided to do the recommended baste on the side of the box.
Hey pajama pants!
Hey Tofurkey!

Butternut squash and carrots getting ready for roasting!
After they finished roasting, I added dried cranberries and fresh sage to the squash.
The final product:

I finished all my tasks, so I offered to help out with the non-veg food. I made bagged stuffing with chicken stock and water.

Then I made the homemade gravy with flour, water, butter and the turkey fat juice. Kind of gross. Apparently it's good but I stay far, far away from it.

Here's dad carving the turkey:

Honey Baked Ham:

The BUFFET!!

This is the beautiful table my mom and I set up.

My amazing plate: carrots, squash, tofurkey/veg stuffing, cranberries, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, artichoke dip, and one sneaky little olive. I think this was the best Thanksgiving plate I've ever had!

Killer Dessert Plate! I took tiny slivers of pumkin cheesecake, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bar, brownie and pound cake (with coffee, of course). Wow...definitely couldn't finish it.

Cute cousins playing on the floor, ha!

Kasey and I:

My parents convinced me to play Rummikub.

Grandma loves it.

We went around the table and said things we were thankful for. There is SO much to be thankful for. I thank God for family, friends, an awesome boyfriend, and a job! I love Thanksgiving!

Hope you all enjoyed some time with family and friends!

Happy Thanksgiving!